Stories related to: renewable energy

John McCain can’t seem to settle on a comprehensible energy policy, Noam Levey writes in the Los Angeles Times , noting that the Republican has been on both sides of issues from oil drilling to ethanol. He favors fuel-efficiency standards while rejecting renewable-sources guidelines and rejects tax breaks on renewables while supporting nuclear subsidies. “There is a very sporadic pattern here,” said one environmentalist. More »

An elite group of Republican senators met yesterday to craft an energy policy which the GOP claims is greener than the Democrats' plan, and more likely to control gas prices. Republicans will emphasize conservation—along with more nuclear plants and oil drilling—and have dubbed Barack Obama's opposition to increased drilling "Obamanomics," reports the Hill. More »

Before friends of the environment get too worked up about the death of the 2008 Climate Security Act last week, they should note tepid green support all along. So-called Lieberman-Warner was “easily the most aggressive and comprehensive environmental reform ever” in Congress, Dayo Olopade writes in the New Republic , but a more leftist legislature backed by a Democratic president could likely cut deeper. More »

An answer to the world's energy crisis might be a breeze, the Economist reports—specifically, a breeze offshore. With wind blowing twice as fast offshore than on, engineers have been racing to develop technology to "float" wind turbines far out in the ocean—where they won't ruin coveted views from shore. They cost 50% more to build, but they generate five times as much power as landed cousins. More »

The “McCain-Clinton” gas-tax vacation is an abomination of energy policy, Thomas Friedman declares in the New York Times . “This is money laundering: We borrow money from China and ship it to Saudi Arabia and take a little cut for ourselves as it goes through our gas tanks.” Worse than just despicable pandering, it would encourage gas consumption and drive the renewables market overseas. More »

Exxon Mobil is facing a shareholder revolt by most of John D. Rockefeller's 300 descendants, who are pushing for the mammoth company to go greener, reports the Wall Street Journal . The Rockefellers are campaigning for Exxon to develop new energy technology, cut greenhouse gas emissions and appoint a new independent chairman. The revolt is opposed by Exxon senior management. More »

President Bush's new climate change policy announced yesterday is "too little, too slow, too late," writes Bryan Walsh of Time . Bush outlined a plan to gradually rein in the growth of US greenhouse gas emissions by 2025—but rejected mandatory international carbon emissions caps unless they also bind China and India. More »

Texas—the land of big oil, big agriculture, pickup trucks, wide-open spaces, and little mass transit—not only is the biggest emitter of CO2 among states, it ranks eighth in the world, a new study says. It’s also one of the few states without any climate plan in the works. "Oil companies run the show,” an activist tells Newsweek. More »

No industrial smokestacks rise from that cute Google logo, but each click of the search button takes an environmental toll, Harper's reports. Google and its competitors are guzzling electricity to power ever-larger server complexes, and a renewable-energy initiative is more about making amends than benevolence. A new taxpayer-subsidized Google center along Oregon’s Columbia River will likely use a Tacoma-sized chunk of power. More »

The European Commission is set to unveil broad new climate change legislation next week, but the measures have been criticized by member countries and trade organizations that fear adverse effects on European business. France is worried about effects on its nuclear industry, Der Spiegel reports; Germany and Spain have raised concerns about cross-border trade in renewable energy. More »

The UK intends to boost their production of wind power 60-fold by 2020, under plans released yesterda by business secretary John Hutton, the BBC reports. The secretary proposed an investment into the construction of 7,000 mostly off-shore wind turbines to produce a target of 33 gigawatts that could "power the equivalent of all of the UK's homes." The UK currently produces 2.2 gigawatts from mostly on-shore wind power. More »

China will bypass the US to become the world’s top energy consumer by 2010, a new study says. Spurred by increased demand for natural resources, the country’s energy consumption will double in just 20 years to satisfy its booming economy, the BBC reports. To quench its thirst for fossil fuels, China is seeking relief in Africa and the Middle East. More »

Move over, sun. Alternative energy innovators are turning to increasingly inventive power technologies—and sources, including algae (to make diesel fuel) and tires and "car fluff" from junked vehicles. Ocean and geothermal operations appear to be the next big wave of the green future. One company is developing a buoy system off Oregon that harnesses wave energy for electricity, the Washington Post reports. More »

So you're not ready to give up your car for a bicycle to help the Earth. LiveScience suggests 10 baby steps to going green that won't even cramp your style. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Purchase Energy Star-rated appliances, electronics, and lighting. Instead of plastic bags, shop with a reusable tote bag. More »